Psalm
86 is a “Prayer of David”. Several times
throughout this Psalm David mentions that he is experiencing a time of trouble
(v. 7). It appears that the source of this trouble is from proud people who
have “risen up against him” (v. 14). Whoever these proud people are we
don’t know, but they have also incited a “mob of violent men” who were
seeking to kill him, and they had no regard for God or His ways (v. 14).
What
do you do when you are overwhelmed with trouble and when the world has come crashing
in around you? Who do you turn to for help and deliverance when you are
helpless and feel hopeless? David turned his thoughts and prayer to the Lord,
and we should do the same. At least twice in this prayer David mentions that “God
is gracious and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon Him” (vv. 5,
15).
In
verse 8, David declares, "There is none like you!" This is the
confession of a man who truly knows God and remembered Israel's confession in Exodus
15:11 when the people of Israel were hemmed in between the armies of Pharoah
and the Red Sea. "Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like
You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?” During ten years of exile in the wilderness of
Judea, David had learned much about God's character and the way He worked in
the lives of His people. No doubt he spent much time reading the Torah and
meditating on God’s Word and promises.
David
believed that God is great in who He is and what He does, and the false gods of
all the nations are nothing. In spite of his present troubles, it is
interesting that David becomes a prophet according to Acts 2:30 and saw the day
coming when all the nations would enter the Messianic kingdom (v. 9; see Rev.
15:3-4).
As
David closes this Psalm and prayer, he recognizes the reality of his situation
and his enemies. David's enemies were proud of themselves and their abilities,
violent, and totally ignorant of and indifferent to the God of Israel. But
David looked away from them to the Lord who had saved and guided him all his
life. David is possibly quoting from Exodus 34:6 in verse 15. “And the LORD
passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and
gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth”.
God
repeats this phrase time and time again in Scripture: (Psalms 86:5; 103:8-13;
116:5; 145:8; Neh. 9:17; and Jonah 4:2.) The apostle Paul tells us that knowing
these attributes of God ought to lead people to repentance (Rom. 2:4).
"The son of your handmaid" (v. 16) means "your devoted
servant" (116:16; Ruth 2:13, 3:9; 1 Sam. 1:11, 12, 18). Children born to
servants were considered especially faithful since they were brought up in the
master's household (Gen. 14:14). Since David was the Lord's faithful servant,
it was his Master's duty to protect and deliver him (Psalm 143:11-12).
David
finished his prayer by asking that the Lord would “show him a sign for good.” David wanted that deliverance to bring
glory to the Lord and to demonstrate to the nations that Jehovah alone was God.
It wasn't just warfare, it was witness, a "sign" of the goodness of
the Lord to David. It was his way of praying, "Hallowed be Thy name"
(Matt. 6:9). When our requests are in God's will and glorify His name, we can
be sure He will answer.
Today,
if we want to really experience the graciousness, longsuffering, goodness, and
mercy of the Lord all we need to do is go to the Cross of the Lord Jesus
Christ! “The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ” (John 1:17). Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief does not come
except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have
life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
My
friend, our God is still “longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth”! You
can trust Him to forgive and help you today!
God
bless!
